TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A vigorous storm system will move from the southern Gulf Saturday toward the western Florida peninsula later in the night.
The storm system — a non-tropical disturbance — will generate broad areas of rain and increasingly windy and gusty conditions in the eastern Gulf. As it nears land surrounding the northeastern Gulf, rain will increase through the afternoon for the Big Bend area, stretching into southern Georgia afterwards.
The effects expected in our region include:
- Showers and steady rain, starting Saturday afternoon and continuing through most of Sunday morning
- Steady breezes and occasional stronger gusts and squalls, especially late tonight and Sunday morning
- A few thunderstorms in the eastern Big Bend early Sunday morning
These effects can create the following local hazards:
- Rough and dangerous surf on the bays all weekend
- Minor coastal flooding at the immediate Forgotten coast Saturday and early Sunday
- Wind-related effects (such as loosened Christmas/holiday outdoor décor and sporadic power outages)
- Localized flooding from heavy rain on already-saturated grounds
Generally, the highest rain totals, exceeding two inches, are most likely in the eastern half of the region, near Interstate 75 and to the US 319 corridor. A Flood Watch is in effect for several eastern Big Bend and south-central Georgia counties through Sunday morning. Rain accumulations are forecast to be lower in the inland parts of the tri-state, and the flooding risk is much lower in southwest Georgia and the Apalachicola River region of the western Big Bend.
Severe thunderstorm chances are negligible, since most of the state line region will be north of the main low-pressure system, a portion that usually doesn't support tornado development. However, we'll monitor trends in tonight's activity that would increase or decrease the severe thunderstorm risk for the Suwannee River valley.
First to Know Weather will keep you connected to reliable, no-hype weather information and forecasts throughout the weekend.